Northern Irish town where Queen has official residence receives royal status
Watch: Prince Charles and Camilla visit Hillsborough Castle
The village of Hillsborough, where the Queen has her official residence, has become the first place in Northern Ireland to receive royal status.
Hillsborough in Co Down will become Royal Hillsborough later this year after the Queen grants a letters patent.
Its home to Hillsborough Castle, which is the residence of the monarchy in Northern Ireland. Prince Charles and Camilla are the castle's most recent royal guests.
Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis said: "This is fantastic news for the village of Hillsborough, a truly wonderful place that deserves this special honour.
"The village’s royal status reflects the beauty of Hillsborough as well as its unique history and close connections to the Royal Family through Hillsborough Castle.
"I have been privileged to enjoy Hillsborough Castle and the village of Hillsborough over the past year with my family, as have many other secretaries of state for Northern Ireland before me.
"I hope this news will attract many more visitors to the area and the whole of Northern Ireland, as well as boosting further investment and local jobs as we level up right across the United Kingdom."
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The application for royal status was made by Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council and the granting of letters patent comes in Northern Ireland's centenary year.
The mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, Nicholas Trimble, said it was an "historic day" for the village, adding: "Hillsborough has for a long time been a jewel in our local crown."
Laura McCorry, head of Hillsborough Castle and Gardens, said: "This very welcome news will provide a much-needed boost for tourism in Hillsborough, after a challenging year for the entire industry.
"Hillsborough is a truly remarkable place, with so much to offer visitors – rich history, stunning surroundings and brilliant spots to eat, drink and shop.
"Sitting at the heart of all of this is the castle we’re privileged to care for, which has been the backdrop for many milestones in the history of Northern Ireland.
"This week, we’re thrilled to be welcoming visitors back inside Hillsborough Castle again.
"We’re hopeful that this announcement will help us to really put Hillsborough on the map as a tourism destination, inspiring visitors from across Northern Ireland and beyond to come and see everything we have to offer."
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The Royal Family has official residences in Scotland and England, but not Wales, though Charles owns a home there, which he bought because of his connection as Prince of Wales.
Hillsborough Castle is also the official home of the secretary of state for Northern Ireland and is often where political meetings happen between leaders of the UK government and the devolved government.
The estate dates from the 1600s and is an Irish 'big house' rather than a castle, but it was common for families to call their homes castles.
Most of the home was destroyed by a fire in 1934 and the central home was largely rebuilt afterwards.
It has a throne room, though the chairs are technically chairs of state, not thrones, and state rooms like a drawing room, and dining room. It's viewed as a political neutral place.
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It has been a politically significant venue. In 2005, the Queen met then Irish president Mary McAleese there, the first time a reigning monarch had met the head of an independent Ireland on the island of Ireland.
The Queen went on to make a four day trip to Ireland in 2011.
In 2010, the Hillsborough agreement was signed in the castle, which marked the devolution of policing and justice to Northern Ireland.
There are annual garden parties at the castle, but these are held by the Northern Ireland secretary in contrast to Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, which are hosted by the Queen.
However there are often royals in attendance, and Prince Harry and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been there in recent years.
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